Crystal Palace booked their place in the Carabao Cup fourth round with a commanding 3-0 victory over Middlesbrough at Selhurst Park on Tuesday night. Jorgen Strand Larsen scored a goal in each half and Daichi Kamada added a third to seal a comfortable win for the Premier League side, as reported by Sky Sports Football.
The Eagles, who sit 13th in the Premier League with three points from three games, made eight changes to their starting lineup. They absorbed early pressure from a similarly rotated Middlesbrough side before taking control. After a shaky opening where Yeremy Pino gave the ball away and Amario Cozier-Duberry threatened down the right, Palace's defence solidified. Walter Benitez was called into action to deny Aidan Morris with a low save.
How did Crystal Palace take the lead?
The breakthrough came from a well-worked team move. Ben Chilwell delivered a lofted cross into the box which was met by Oscar Mingueza, who whipped the ball back across goal. Strand Larsen was perfectly positioned to turn it home. Manager Pierre Sage acknowledged the team's slow start, saying, "We didn't play well at the beginning of the game and we started to play when we scored the first goal." The goal changed the momentum, allowing Palace to counter effectively against Middlesbrough's waves of attack.
What was the key to Palace's defensive performance?
After conceding eight goals in their first three league matches, a clean sheet was a welcome boost. The back line, marshalled by the experienced Chilwell, grew into the game after the early scares. They effectively nullified the threat of Will Lankshear, the Championship's leading scorer who was named on the Boro bench. Sage noted his team initially struggled when Middlesbrough played between their lines but corrected the issue after the half-time break. This defensive resilience provided the platform for the attacking players to finish the job.
What does this win mean for Palace's schedule?
Progress in the Carabao Cup adds another fixture to Crystal Palace's calendar, but it provides valuable momentum. The team's next challenge is a Premier League home match against Ipswich Town on September 12th. Fans can check the full fixtures list for the coming weeks. Currently six points behind leaders Manchester City, every positive result builds confidence. The performance of squad players like Kamada and Strand Larsen, who took their chances clinically, offers Sage positive selection headaches. You can view the current player roster on the official squad page.
Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg felt his side controlled large parts of the game. "It's always tough when you lose a game 3-0 when it's about scoring goals," he said. "We controlled the game for 60 minutes away from home. We had more good positions than Crystal Palace but lacked quality in the final third." Despite his assessment, Palace's quality in front of goal proved decisive. Strand Larsen sealed his double in the second half, and Kamada added a third to ensure safe passage. The victory sets up a fourth-round tie, with the draw expected soon. Crystal Palace return to league action this weekend looking to improve their standing, which you can follow on the standings page.
